El Chato, one of the restaurants of Colombian chef Alvaro Clavijo, was crowned the best restaurant in Latin America, according to the Heisha list prepared by The 50 Best magazine. At a ceremony in Antigua (Guatemala), which was celebrated this month, Clavijo thanked for the recognition: “If I say so, I dreamed of it, I did not imagine it, and I think this is an award for Colombia, it is an award for countries that do not have recognition for their gastronomy.” Located in the north of Bogotá, the bistro is on par with the cities on the list and beats Limeño Kjolle and Bonaeroense Don Julio, which was at the top of the list in 2024.
Clavijo opened its doors in 2017 and since then it has not stopped appearing on everyone’s lips (literally and figuratively). For several years now, it has been considered one of the best restaurants in the world and is frequently visited by public figures, specializing in typical Colombian food with a modern twist. The chef, who was born in Bogotá, enjoyed his time at the Hoffmann Hostel School in Barcelona and the Le Cordon Bleu Academy in Paris. He works in several Michelin-starred restaurants in cities such as Paris, New York and Copenhagen.
The Top 50 highlighted that Clavijo, “inspired by the flavors of his country”, works alongside small producers. “The relationships that have been established are so strong that on the ground they are adapting the menu to the function of what they are cooking, although they have also introduced new ingredients that they are now growing.”
In an interview with this newspaper in 2023, Clavijo confirmed that the “main player” in his restaurant was Colombia. “Our idea is to show that Colombia is more than just a lolo, that the tray is rich: it has an impressive diversity and our commitment is to use 100% Colombian ingredients. So, we show, in tradition, that Colombia exists: we make delicious and interesting dishes,” he recalled then. Behind El Chato, the chef is opening, also in Bogotá, Selma restaurant and Ruda bar, his leap into the signature cocktail shop.
Rounding out the top 3 of the region’s 50 best restaurants is the Peruvian restaurant Kjolle, located in Lima, through which the publication highlights the “high level of research and experimentation” of its dishes and the work of its head chef, Pia Leon; And the Argentinian Don Julio, an authority on this country’s food, who offers a “master’s degree” when it comes to cutting meat.
Other Colombians appear on the list of the continent’s 50 best restaurants. At Puesto 5, Celele is located in Cartagena, led by Chef Jaime Rodriguez. The listing highlights its menu that “explores all that the Caribbean coast has to offer.” On the 23rd, Leo fell in Bogota at the hands of the famous chef Leonor Espinosa, accompanied by her daughter and bartender Laura Hernandez. At 34 years old, the restaurant “Afluente”, also in the Colombian capital, is created by Chef Jefferson García. Y, in the forty-second, falls on Manuel Barranquillero, who appears for the first time on the list.